In my devotions recently, I've been going through a series on "Eternal Realities". Yesterday, the focus was on "things that last forever". It was a good time to take to refocus on the things that will last forever and things that will NOT last forever. The verse that immediately came to mind was Matthew 24:35 - "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." The things of this Earth will pass away, the physical things; but God's Words and Jesus Christ will not.
It got me thinking, God's Word will not pass away. It is a constant through ever-changing social and political landscapes for thousands of years and through eternity. But when it comes to people... when it comes to us... What is truly eternal?
Even in the short time that we are on Earth, things we witness are fading away. Possessions perish. Supple skin fades to wrinkles. Muscles grow weaker. The list goes on... By the time life ends, these things fade away entirely. That does not mean we should have NO possessions (in the end Job was greatly blessed, even with possessions), or that we shouldn't look presentable (1 Cor. 6:19-20), or that we shouldn't take care of our bodies (1 Tim. 4:8), BUT we need to have the appropriate perspective. That being, these things will ultimately perish.
So what DOES last for us? In part, the character we build. Our personality. What I would define as YOU! And in order to develop those things, daily building a relationship with Christ over a lifetime! We all need to be developing the real "ME" in Christ. It's the only thing we take with us into eternity.
The verse for the devotional was 1 Corinthians 13:12 - "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known."
The verse really hit me because it is a core theme for the book "Till we have faces" by C.S. Lewis which I recently read. It raised the thought, that when I enter eternity and everything worthless is stripped away, will I like the person I see in the mirror? Will I admire how much is left and unfading? That is how God sees me now, as I am fully known.
I am not fearful of this, we are all sinners and there is no way for me to enter Heaven on my own accord. It is not about "being perfect", but life is about preparing for that day. With God's help and guidance, I strive to develop the person who will enter eternity. That person who will finally meet Jesus Christ face to face.
You know, as I have progressed through this series a few other references to this topic has come up. Yesterday, the devotional author stated "The Bible says that when we're face to face with Jesus, our character will be instantly changed to be like his. You'll have your personality but Jesus' character."
I wanted to believe this, it mostly fits with what I was previously thinking based on scripture. However, it didn't really jive with the scripture the author was referencing didn't specifically make that point (Jude 1:24). I don't like such claims when scripture isn't referenced. So I did my own investigation... I did find 1 John 3 which tends to support a similar notion: v2-3 "Beloved, now …